Tuesday, September 10, 2013

And Yet Another Week Rolls By! Baptism Richard 8 12 13

TAO PO! Hello Fam!

So this week was, yet
again, amazing! Yesterday a huge storm came by but didn't pass directly
over our area so we didn't get killed (phew!). It did however become a Signal
#3 (100+mph winds) on Catanduanes - the island we were on just a few days ago!
Good thing we made it back before it hit, especially since we had a
baptism on Saturday! (Richard, 16, whole family is members)

Well, life goes on here.
It rains pretty much each afternoon, and certainly every night. Not
so sweltering hot anymore (: People still do crazy things. People
still ride bikes next to semi-trucks on the same narrow little two lane main
roads. People still prop up ladders against electricity lines to fix the
common outages. Hah, I still try and come up with something interesting
to email every week. It's all pretty much the same, great stuff that I
love. Even church. Remember I'm in a group (smaller
than branch) with no chapel (under an awning only) just like I had
for the 6 months I was in Baao for. I got up to the podium (no
microphone) to speak yesterday (they actually gave me a day's
notice for my talk rather than the usual waiting until sacrament starts,
finally!) and looked out over the crowd. There were 43 of us!
(: Do you realize how many people that is?! I love each one of
them. And I love sharing my personal experiences and testimony with them
- even when I have to shout the whole time because the loudness of the wind and
rain.

I guess what's different
is that I'm in a new area (granted, I've been here for four weeks now), with a
new assignment, serving with and to new people. I live right next to
great Mt. Mayon - the most perfectly shaped volcano in the world, and most active
one in the Philippines. I love next to the largest geothermal power plant
in the entire world, 2nd only to Yellowstone. I don't know. I only
know that I'm happy doing it! I love, love, love this work.
Although, I can't exactly put on a bathing suit and run around in the
rain everyday, I can at least put on a white shirt and tie, get soaking wet and
share the Gospel! Good trade-off (:

That's it. I'm
smiling always. Can't keep it off my face (: Hope your week has
been just as joyful as mine.

Love Shane!

Pictures -

1-2. My back pack
was breaking. Another Elder sewed up one broken part.. I winged it and
did my best to try and fix another rip... Guess which one was my job... (Yep,
the horrible one with the string coming out all over the place!)

3. Coming home
from Catanduanes on Wednesday, great Mt. Mayon in the background!